Hey All
1. Bathymetry Google Earth Overlay created in GeoMapApp shows the locations of seamounts that could be an abrupt end for Challenger
With the treacherous bathymetry associated with the seamounts of the Walvis Ridge falling away from us, we moved the way point to the north west. There, we should fight the eastern drift a little better as we cross the eastern flux associated with the warm eddy we are traversing.
2. Pinzon 4D is a four dimensional representation of the currents from surface to 1000m over a created by our partners at U. Las Palmas Gran Canaria
By turning to the west, we will also reduce the noise in our heading data caused by an error in our compass. From here, we will continue to fly to the North North-West, weaving a path through the eddies and currents as Challenger makes way towards St. Helena. Then, we will continue pushing north towards the powerful equatorial current that flows to the west which will be the key to a successful recovery in Brazil before the end of the year.
3. Heading Statistics for RU 29: Due to a compass error, we have issues flying north. This is seen as the std dev increases between 3/11 and 3/18 when the way point was to the north versus to the west during 3/3-3/11 and 3/18 onwards
4. The Real Time Ocean Forecast System shows the surface currents that we will use for navigation from South Africa to Brazil
With our new plan to fly Silbo to the Caribbean for a tune up before pushing on to Brazil, the first step was to move the way point to the north west.
5. Silbo’s progress thus far on the crossing of the southern edge of the North Atlantic Gyre
However, as we made this adjustment, Silbo began to feel the influence of the large cold core eddy to our west. This resulted in a less favorable increase in our velocity than we expected as we try to reduce the fighting of the strong northward flux that has slowed our progress over the past five months.
6. The break down of the currents seen by Silbo. Cyan is surface drift velocity, magenta is depth average current, red is heading and green is velocity through the water
Over the next day or so, relying on the forecast holding true, we should begin to see a more north western flow as we begin to round the north eastern edge of this counter clockwise rotating eddy. From there, we hope to catch the current represented by the long winding vectors running to the west shown in bottom left image above.
7. The RTOFS Sea Surface Height and Surface Current forecast for 3/22/2013
With todays projections of distance versus remaining battery power, Silbo should be able to reach the sunny shores of Barbados, and after some work, continue on to Southern Brazil and finally Palmer Station Antarctica.
8. Silbo’s Proposed Mission from Iceland t Antarctica June 2011 – 2014 (expected)
Force Wind Sea & Honor